Packers Beat Falcons 25-14

For the first 20 minutes of game time, it looked like the Atlanta Falcons finally had an answer to last year's playoff loss to the Packers. On their first two offensive drives, the Falcons controlled the clock. RB Michael Turner was bruising and cruising up the middle, and setting up the play action nicely. With 8 minutes left in the first half, the Falcons were up 14-0.

After some struggles on offense, two Mason Crosby field goals made it 14-6 at the half, giving the Packers plenty of optimism going into the locker room. The team that came out in the third quarter was more decisive, more poised, and more productive. And for the remainder of the game, the Packers did what championship teams do - They dug in and battled through adversity to keep Atlanta out of the end zone for the rest of the game.

It's almost a given at this point to say "Rodgers looked sharp," but the Green Bay quarterback was exactly that. He completed 26 of his 39 passes for 396 total yards and two touchdowns. He was cool under pressure, and pick free as a result. Rodgers now has 14 TD's and just two INT's on the season. In a word, outstanding.

After a rocky start, the defense performed well, limiting Falcons QB Matt Ryan to 167 yards through the air and a 56% completion rate (18/32). S Charlie Peprah and CB Jarrett Bush each nabbed a pick, adding to Ryan's woes.

The Packers also held RB Michael Turner in check. After running freely through the first quarter, Green Bay's defense stiffened up, and allowed just 56 total yards on 16 carries.

Big ups go to tackles Marshall Newhouse and rookie Derek Sherrod. After the ever-steady LT Chad Clifton went out in the second quarter with what appeared to be a serious hamstring injury, Newhouse was forced to shift from right to left tackle, making way for Sherrod on the right side. The transition worked seamlessly, and Aaron Rodgers looked comfortable in the pocket, free to pass with ease. I can't emphasize enough how impressive it was to see Newhouse move from the right side to the left side with so few hiccups. Likewise, Sherrod  played so much better than he had throughout training camp and preseason, when he lost the battle to TJ Lang for starting left guard.

 
The Packers overcame a 14 point deficit to score 25 unanswered points. They battled through injuries and game plan adjustments. The team also avoided being bogged down by what I'll call a severe lack of officiating (I'll touch more on that in an entry to come). In the end, I came away from this game feeling like the Packers have matured so much from last year, and can not be counted out of any game.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the game by commenting on this post!